Hand brake



C. A. ZWEIBEL HAND BRAKE Filed Deo. 5, 1928 Patented Dec. 176,` 1930 'unirse siui'resk ofi-marins A. ZWEIBEL, or LOUISVILLE,

lPATENT OFFICE KENTUCKY, AssIGNoR' To w. H. MiivER,` mow HAND :BRAKE Y Application niearecember 5, i928.v serial No. 323,82'1fi' rlhis .invention relates to improvements in hand brakes. y

ln the operation of railway cars having hand-operated brake mechanism, and especially in connection with cars equipped with a brake chain win-ding stad havingA means comprising a dog engaging a ratchet fixed to means for preventing the retrograde movement et the not being brought back to operative position by failure of the operator to release tne locking means. It will be appreciated that it is highly important `in. the operation of railway trains ior the hand bralre mechanism to be at all times fully operative to apply the brakes when needed, and that inoperativeness thereof, due to the mean-s :tor prever ting retrograde rotation of the brake not functioning, is a source of greatdanger and a se lions detect. It is the principal object of niyinvention'to overcome this del-ect by providing means for automatically rendering the entire brake mechanisni operative'when the brake stall is rotated vto wind the brakes. l Y

ifi further ob]- ect of the invention is to provide a hand brake mechanism for-railway ars, including a chain winding .staff actuated by' a ratchet mechanism, including a manually operated lever, together withV means for preventing retrograde movement of the staii' comprising a ratchet iiredto the staff and cooperating with a pivoted dog which may be manually thrown out of operation and held in inoperative position by locking means, so as to permit tree rotation or'the stad in an unwinding direction, wherein means is provided, operated through the manipulation of the actuating lever for disengaging the locking means to. free the dog and again render the same operative. u l

A more specific object of the inve.ntion is to provide a hand brake mechanism including:

Vthe -d means on the carrier for unlocking the latch` a rotary winding staymeans for rotating` the staff towind the chain, `includingan oscillating carrier operated `by` a handlever vpivolted tothe carrier, the hand lever and statn having cooperating vratchet means thereon a second ratchet member fixed to the staff 4a spring-pressed dog cooperating with the second ratchet topi-event retrograde movement of the stall, the dog being provided with an operating handle for retracting the dog to inoperative position to permit free rotation of the statt' in; an unwinding directionra gravity-controlled latch member for locking og in inoperative4 position; and cam from the dog, wherein the cam means is ar- `ranged* to engage and unlock the dog upon.

oscillating movementbeing imparted to the carrier by the operating lever duringthe toand-froV swinging movement thereof in eiecting the chain-winding operation. y

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the descrip- `tion and claims hereinafter following. Y In the drawing, formingapartofthis specification, Figure l is a vertical, sectional View through aportion of the end wall of a car and aportion of theliand brake mechanism, illustrating myl improvements :in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional View, similar to Figure l, partly broken away and "illustrating the latch member in locking relation to the dog. Figure 3 is a horizontal, sectionalV View, corresponding y1substantially to the line -3-3' of Figure l,"the operating lever ofthe brake mechanism being shown in dotted lines. `.AndFigure 4 is a detailed perspective viewof the lat-'ch member employed in connection with my `improved brake mechanism,

ln said drawings,`l0 denotes the end wall of a railway car to which my improved brake mechanism is attached. The brake mechanism, in connection with which my invention is illustrated, is shown as of the vertical 'stai type- In carrying out my invention, I provide a housing Agavertical brake stai'l'B having a ratchet member C thereon; a carrier D rotatable about the staff; an operating lever E porting the brake staff and ratchet mecha-A nism. The bralre staff B, the upper portion of which only is shown, is of the usual'type and is provided With` a portion at the bottom end thereof, not shown, on which the brake chain which leads to the brake shoes is Wound. The upper portion ofthe staff B is preferably of square cross section, as indicated at 12, said square cross sectional portion being received Within a similar opening 13 provided -m the ratchet member C.

rlhe ratchet member C is provided with the usual upper and lower sets of ratchet teeth 14 and 15 and has journal portions 16 and 17 at the top and bottom ends thereof, the journaly portion 17 being mounted Within the journal member 11. As shown in Figure 1, the top wall of the housing is provided With a recess 18 accommodating` the journal portion 1G of the member C.

The carrier D is rotatably supported on the ratchet member C, having a journal section 19 in the top Wall thereof, in which the journal portion 1G of the member C engages. The bottom Wall of the carrier D is also provided with an opening through which the member C extends.

The operating handle E is pivotally mounted on the carrier D so as to swing in a vertical plane, the same being supported by a transverseipivot pin 20 extending through the inner end of the lever E and openings in the side Walls of the carrier D. The outer end Wall of the carrier D is provided With an opening 21 so as to permit vertical swinging movement of the lever E to bring the same from the full line position shown in Figure 1 to the position indicatedin dotted lines.

The lever E is provided with the usual sliding` pand 22 which has tooth section at the outer end thereof, adapted to cooperate with the teeth of the ratchet section 14. The pawl 22 is urged into engagement with the teeth by the usual coiled spring 23, also supported on the lever E. As Will be evident, when the lever E is in horizontal position and is moved to and fro about the pivotal center of the carrier D, the tooth 22 Will cooperate with the ratchet section 14 of the member C so as to impart intermittent rotation thereto and to the brake stati' B, thereby effecting winding of the brake chain on the staff and tightening of the brakes.

The dog F is mounted on a vertically disposed pivot pin 24, suitably supported by the for the lugs 31 of the member G.

housing A. The dog is provided with a short, inwardly extending arm portion 25, provided With a tooth Which cooperates with the ratchet section 15 of the ratchet member C. At the opposite side of the pivot 24, the dog is provided with an operating handle 26 of the usual form, for permitting the attendant to Withdraw the tooth of the dog from engagement with the ratchet section 15, so as to render the dog inoperative and permit free rotation of the brake staff in an unwinding direction. The dog 25 normally held in yielding engagement With the teeth of the ratchet member C by a coiled spring 2T intel posed between the inner side of the arm 25 and the Avertical end Wall of the housing l the housing wall and the arm 25 of the dog being provided with the usual bosses which engage Within the coiled spring to hold the saine-assembled with the other parts.

Along the inner portion, section 25 of the dog is recessed, as most clearly shown in Figure 1, to provide an overhanging section 28 for a purpose hereinafter pointed out.

The latch member Gr comprises a relatively ieavy upper main body portion and a laterally extending arm-like bottom portion 29, having av hooked end, as indicated at 30, which forms a locking tooth adapted to engage With the overhanging section 28 of the dog when the same is retracted to hold the dog in inoperative position. The latch member G is 4pivot-ally mounted by means of laterally extending lugs 31-31 on opposite sides of the main body portion thereof. The housing` A is provided with supporting webs 32-32 for the latch member G, the supportin Webs being formed integral with the vertical end Wall of the housing and connected to the side wall vof the housing by a horizontal supiliorting section 33. The web members 32 are provided wit-h alined inclined slots 34 which terminate in circular openings 35 at their inner ends, which openings forni the pivotal seats As shown in Figure the lugs 31 are elongated transversely and have rounded end sections 3G-3G Vwhich form the bearing means proper thereof. The lugs 31 are of such a iviotn that they Will pass between the side walls of the slotsl 34 so' that the latch member may be pivotally connected to the Webs 32 by bringi the lugs 31 into the circular openings 35 and rotating the same to approximately the position shown in Figure 1, ivhere the top and bottom bearing sur. aces 36 are in ei j ment With the Walls of the openings 35. will be evident, when the lugs ire turned to the position shown in Figure 1, the latch member G is locked to the housing' for pivotal swinging movement about the axi; of the lugs 31.

Upon reference to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the lugs 31 are arranged to one i ii..

rest on the upper tace of the dog.

side of the centero gravity of the relatively parts, that is, when the dog F is opertive, the tooth or hook 30 of the latch Gr will `When the dog is operated so astoretract the tooth portion thereof from lengagement with the Vratchet i54 oil the member C and brought to the position shown in Figure 2, the latch, G will be swung by gravity so as toengage with the undercut section 28 oi the dog to loc-k the same in disengaged or inoperative position ln order to render the dog'FV automatically operative upon the lever E of the brakemechanism being swung tov and tro in a horizontal plane, the carrierD has the innerwall section thereof, which is of Substantially cylindrical formation, provided with a pair'ot cam lugs 37 and 38. As shown in Figure 3, with the operating handle lever E disposed at right angles to the end walll() of thecar, the lug 37 isdi'spofled to one side oftheaXia-lcenter of the leverlE while the lug 38y is disposed at the opposite side of "said arial center. ,As shown, the lug37`ismore closely adjacent to the axiaicenter of the lever E than the lug 38. The side walls of the housing'are c ut away-to a sufficient eXtentto permit the passage of the lugs 37 and v38 without"interference during to and fro swinging movement ot the lever F.

andthe oscilla-ting movement-of the carrier D.y rilhe lugs 37 and 38 are arrangedat such a height that they will engage with the latch member G 4immediatelyabove the section 29 thereof; The latch member is provided with a rounded portion 39 atthis point, which cooperates with the cam lugs 37 and 38. It will be evident that when the operating` lever is swung in a horizontal planete either side of the central position shown in Figure 3, one or the other of the lugs 37 or 38 will engage the rounded portion 39 of the latch member (l, thereby rocking the same to raise the tooth 3 thereoi" out of engagement with the undercut portion of the dog, thus unlocking the parts and permitting the dog to be urged toward the ratchet member by the spring 27. iis will be evident, the cam member 37 becomes operative to unlock lthe latch member G when the lever E is swung only a short distance from the central position shown in F igure 3,'while the cam member 33 does not become Voperative to unlock the latch member unt-il the lever E is swung to a point near the extreme limit of its movement during the time that the pawl 22 idles over the teeth oi the ratchet member C. The lug 38 thus effects disengagement of the latch member from the dog a short time prior to the beginning of the'swinging movement ot the handle E in a chain-winding direction.

ln the operation of myimproved hand brake, assuming thatthe-dog F is in its operative position andthe operating lever E .is

"raised so as to lie in ahorizontal plane, the

lever is moved to and froabout the pivotal center of the carrier C, vthereby oscillating the carrier and bringing the cam lugs 37 4and alternately in operative position with respectto the latchv member Gr.

vinasmuch asthe tooth of the latch member G at'this timev'is resting upon the top of the dog F, the mainbody portion of thelatch member sfso positioned that the cam lugs 37 and 38 dono-t engage and actuate the same. Vf hen the rlever E is swung in a clockwise direction'as viewed in Figui-e3, theV pawl `22 eiifects rotationof the ratchet member C and the staff B, thus eiiecting winding of the brake chain and tightening of the brakes. Buring this rotation-o1c the ratchet' member,

the tooth section 25 of the dogF will idle over v4"When it is desired to release the brakes, the

operator pulls the-handle end26 of the lock- `ing dog Foutwardly, therebydisengaging the tooth portion 25ct' the'fdog freni-the ratchet section 1.5 of the member C, `thus permitting free rotation of the member C and the brake stati B in an unwindingdirection. When the handle Vportion 26 of the dog is pulled outwardly,the section 25 is'moved a sutiieient distance away trom the ratchet -member C to permit the latchG to swin on its pivot, due to the action of gravity, an

cause the-tooth 30to`engage with the overhanging section 280i the dog, thus locking the latter-in inoperative position. Y

This latclnng means-is oigreat importance "in connectionfwith hand brakes, because it Iprevents 'the dog `from re-engaging the ratchet teeth of the staff, thereby preventing `incomplete unwinding oi2 the chain and dragging of the brake shoes on the'wheels of the The leverE may be dropped `when in the position shown in Figure 3, wherein the axis of the same is at right angles to the end wali of the car, or the same may be dropped when the carrier has been turnedto such a position as to dispose the lever parallel to the end wall oi the car at the sa'me side oft-he housing on which the operating lever 26 ot the dog F is located. It will be evident that in either oi the two positions last referred to, the lugs 37 and 38 will be so disposed that they CAS will Vnot engage the latch member G so as to unlock the same. Then it is desired to again operate the brakes to tighten the chain, the lever E is merely oscillated in the usual manner to elfect the proper rotation of the brake staff. As will be evident, as soon as the lever is swung from either a position parallel to or at right angles to the wall l0, the lug 37 or the lug` 3S is brought into engagement with the rounded portion 39 of the latch member G, thereby swinging the latch member toward the end wall of the housing and raising the tooth 30 thereof out of engagement with the undercut portion of the dog and unlocking the dog so that the same will again Vbe free to cooperate with the ratchet section 15 of the member C to prevent retrograde movement thereof. Inasmuch as the lugs 37 and 38 pass the latch member G during each oscillation of the carrier, it is clear that there is no danger of the latch accidentally engaging the dog so as to lock the same in inoperative position.

From the preceding description, taken in .connection with the drawings, it will be evident that I have provided an exceedingly simple Vand eiiicient means for assuring proper operation of lhand brakes, wherein a lock` ing dog is employed to prevent retrograde movement ofthe brake-winding means and the locking dog is adapted to be locked in inoperative position. By the arrangement provided, it is not necessary for the brakeman to manually release the locking means for holding the dog in inoperative position each time the brake mechanism is operated.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carr in@ out m invention the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a hand brake, the combination with a rotatable chain-winding member; of means for intermittently rotating` said member, including a lever-operated carrier rotatably mounted to turn about said member in reverse directions; means for preventing unwinding movement of said member, including a dog and cooperating ratchet means the ratchet means being fixed to the chain winding member; spring means for holding said dog in engagement with the ratchet means,lsaid dog being movable to inoperative position to permit free rotation of said mem ber; a latch element for locking the dog in inoperative position; and means on the carrier for unlocking said latch element from the dog upon movement of the carrier in either of said reverse directions.

2. In a hand brake, the combination with a vertical brake staif adapted t0 have a brake chain wound thereon; of a carrier mounted for rotation about said staff; a lever pivoted to the carrier, cooperating ratchet means on said lever and staif for intermittently rotating the statt to wind the brake chain; a second ratchet on the staff; a pivoted dog; means for forcing said `dog into engagement with said last named ratchet to prevent rotation thereof in an unwinding direction, said dog being manually movable to inoperative position; a latch for locking the dog in inoperative position; and spaced cam means on the carrier, engaging said latch in two different positions of the carrier for unlocking the latch from the dog.

3. In a hand brake, the combination with a housing adapted to be secured to the end wall of a car; of a vertically disposed chainwinding staff rotatably supported in the housing; a carrier rotatable about said staff; an operating lever connected to the carrier for oscillating the latter, said lever having means thereon for intermittently engaging with the statt to rotate the same in a direction to tighten the brakes; a ratchet fixed to the statl'; a dog pivoted to the housing; spring means for forcing the dog into engagement with the ratchet to hold the staff against retrograde rotation, said dog having an operating handle by which the same may be manually disengaged from the ratchet and thrown to an inoperative position; a gravity-actuated latch engageable with the dog for locking the latter in inoperative position; and a pair of spaced cam members on the carrier engageable with the latch when the operating lever is thrown to either side of a position at right angles to the car wall, to unlock said latch from the dog and permit' return of the latter to operative position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th day of November. 1928.

CHARLES A. ZVVEIBEL. 

